In Reality
by Mountanned
Summary: Finn wishes for a world of magic and adventure, an escape from his bullied reality. He's never known a true friend outside those he creates in his stories of heroism. But one day, his first day of the tenth grade, a new student transfers into his school and quickly gives him a chance. Is this the beginning of an intimate relationship, or of a first heartbreak?
1. Chapter 1: So Sick of It

Chapter 1: So Sick of It

'_Finn was riding atop his magical best friend, Jake the dog. The two were once again in pursuit; the Ice King had kidnapped Princess Bubblegum. _

_"Jake! Launch the Finn Bomb!" Finn cried over the roaring winds, readying himself for the jump. _

_"You got it, bro!" Jake shouted. The dog bucked his back and Finn shot in the air. He shrieked as he somersaulted and landed on the Ice King's back. _

_"Let go of Peebles!" Finn demanded as he beat against the old wizard's back. _

_"Hey, cut it out, Finn. You're gonna make me lose my balance," the Ice King answered, tightening his grip around the princess, who looked incredibly bored despite her condition. _

_"Finn, hurry! I have to give a presentation in ten minutes," said Bubblegum. _

_"You got it, PB," Finn called back. He jumped on the Ice King's head and pulled his crown down over his eyes, causing him to lose concentration and begin a descent to land. He dropped he princess, who ended up landing on Jake's back. Finn used the Ice King's head as a launching point and flew onto Jake behind the Princess. The dog began bounding off towards the Candy Kingdom when_—'

"Finn? Honey, it's time for dinner!" a voice called.

Finn sighed and put down his pencil.

"I'm coming, mom," he answered. The boy glanced at his journal before closing and tossing it onto his desk with another sigh. He walked down the stairs to join his parents and sister at the dinner table.

"We're having peas and chicken, Finny," his older sister, Fionna, announced cheerily as he slid into his chair. His mother heaped his plate with food before sitting down to enjoy her own meal.

"Oh, yum," Finn said absent-mindedly as he pushed his food around on his plate. He stabbed a piece of chicken with his fork and lifted it to his mouth. It was a little dry. He heard a whimpering to his right and looked to see his dog, Jake, giving him his classic puppy-eyes. With an amused smile, Finn grabbed the biggest chunk of chicken off of his plate and handed it to Jake, who wolfed it down gratefully with a wag of his stubby tail.

The boy turned his attention back to the table in time to see his father giving him a stern glance.

"Finn, don't feed the dog at the table. Give him scraps afterwards."

"Okay."

A period of silence ensued, broken by Fionna.

"So, are you excited about starting Sophomore year tomorrow, Finny?"

Her question was met with the clanking of forks on plates.

"Finn, dear, are you all right?" his mother asked.

"Yes, ma'am."

His mother and father exchanged a glance. His father frowned and turned his attention back to his dinner, while his mother looked sadly at the boy.

"May I be excused?" Finn asked. His mother nodded and he left the table.

He headed up to his room, followed by Jake. The boy plopped down on his bed with a discontented groan. His dog lied at his feet, nuzzling his legs. The blonde boy sat up to scratch his dog behind the ears.

"I don't wanna go back to school, Jake," the boy mumbled. "It's so awful there, you don't even know. Everyone picks on me and I—," he stopped as a hard lump formed in his throat, followed by the prickling of tears in his eyes. He sniffed and wiped at his eyes. He swallowed hard in an unsuccessful attempt to rid himself of the lump and, defeated, let the tears fall. The sobs shook him violently and he buried his face into his dog's side. Jake whimpered and rested his head on his paws, understanding his master's grief.

"I have no friends, Jakey. Everyone makes fun of me and I'm so s-sick of it. I just wish that i could r-really live in—," his voice trailed off.

Finn glanced at his precious journal through bleary eyes. He had created the perfect world; he was the only human alive. His dog could talk, and the two went on adventures together. Finn was everyone's hero, loved by everyone... If only that could be his reality. The fact that his dream world was so impossibly distant sent another wave of sobs to shake his thin body. Jake turned on his back so that Finn was crying into his belly, and turned to a fit of dog-like laughter. He knew it would cheer his master up.

Finn gave his dog a small smile through a tear-streaked face. He wiped his tears, pulled his beloved dog towards him, and fell asleep stroking Jake's head.

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A/N: What do you guys think?


	2. Chapter 2: The Eleventh First Day

Chapter 2: The Eleventh First Day

Finn awoke to a blaring alarm clock. As a conditioned response, he slammed the snooze button and turned over in his bed.

"Waking up at five is almost worse than those assholes at school," Finn grumbled as he kicked off his sheets. He stretched with a yawn, grabbed a towel, and headed for the bathroom. He turned the shower to hot and began brushing his teeth while he waited for the water to heat up. He rinsed with mouthwash and smiled at himself in the mirror in an attempt to boost his self-confidence; even he had to admit that he was not bad looking. Finn had striking blonde hair that stopped halfway down his neck. It was parted messily to the right. His eyes were an icy blue, and his skin flawless. He was about average height for his age, but with feet that were too big. He was always tripping over them. The biggest problem was that he was scrawny due to meager meals, and had no build.

"Maybe I can turn things around this year," the boy murmured as he slipped into the shower. He quickly bathed and left the bathroom, the idea of change still bouncing wildly against the walls of his mind.

"Maybe," he said as he pulled on a white hoodie and pale blue cargo shorts, "I could get a girlfriend. Could be Bonnibel— No, she'd never. But maybe Susan or Jaime or Taylor..."

"And then," Finn went on excitedly as he laced up his black and white Chuck's, "Once I get a girlfriend, maybe the other guys'll respect me more. I won't get made fun of or beat up or—!"

The boy was grinning broadly now.

"I can do it!" he whispered to himself. "I can make this year good!"

Finn grabbed his green backpack and sprinted out the door, bidding goodbye to his mother, who was sipping coffee on the couch, and to Jake, who was lounging lazily on the porch.

The blonde boy jogged the four blocks to the high school, grabbed a schedule from the front office, and headed to his first period; chemistry, with the ever-so-awkward Dr. Simon Petrikov. Once the bell had rung, Mr. Petrikov rose from his chair and adjusted his bow tie before standing before his class.

"Welcome to chemistry, Sophmores. I'm Mr. Simon Petrikov. Today, we'll be going over classroom procedures and the AKS for this year."

Finn was playing with his fingers out of boredom when something flew into the back of his head. He heard sniggers from behind and pulled a paper plane out of his hair. The boy rolled his eyes, ripped the plane in half, and laid his head on his desk. When the bell rang, Finn's neck was met with a series of slaps as the guys behind him made their way to the door.

"You ripped up my note, Finny!" Ash blubbered mockingly. "I think I'm gonna cry."

"Dick," Finn mumbled under his breath as he grabbed his bag and quickly left the room.

The blonde was to get relief in his second period as it was a small class, free of his tormentors.

"Welcome to Sophomore Literature," the teacher, Ms. Trutle, greeted after the bell rang. "Today, we'll be—,"

She was interrupted by a knock on the door. The teacher glanced at Finn, who was closest to the door.

"I'm sorry, dear, but could you please get that?"

"Yes ma'am," Finn answered as he rose and made his way over to the door. He stepped aside as a portly woman in an olive suit entered. Her name tag read 'Dr. Tina Trunks: Principal,' and she was followed by a girl Finn had never seen before. One look left him breathless.

She was about his age but a little shorter. Her hair was dyed red velvet, her skin was tanned to a near golden color, and her eyes were a stunning reddish-brown. Her facial features were sharp and her body was thin but perfectly curved. She was wearing black skinny jeans, a red shirt, and red converse. Finn would likely never forget what she was wearing that day.

As she passed him, she smiled shyly, and Finn had to tear his eyes away and sit back down to avoid grinning back stupidly.

"Morning, students! This is your new peer. She just moved her from Canada. Introduce yourself, hun," Dr. Trunks gestured for the girl to come forward. She nervously obeyed.

"I'm Kindle," she murmured shyly, looking first at the class and then at her feet.

"And your last name, Kindle?" the principal pressed.

"Aidan."

_Kindle Aidan_, Finn thought. _I think I have a crush_.

"Welcome to our class, Kindle. Could you take the empty seat next to Finn? Yes, the boy by the door," Ms. Trutle pointed at Finn.

_Oh god, oh god, oh god_.

Finn shifted uncomfortably in his seat, rested his chin on his fist, and glanced at the door. Kindle slid into the desk next to him.

"Let me know if you need anything, hun," Dr. Trunks said to Kindle as she left the room. The girl nodded back.

"Alright. Now, class, I'll be reading to you from 'Oedipus,' one of the first stories we'll be reading this semester," Ms. Trutle announced as she cracked open a Lit textbook. She flipped through the book and ran her finger down a page until she found the passage. She began reading monotonously and soon most of the students were asleep.

"Um, hey," Finn heard a voice whisper. He looked to his left to see the new girl leaning over her desk, staring back at him. He blushed and murmured a hello.

"You don't like to talk much, do you?"

Finn gave a small smile and shook his head.

"Oh. Why not?"

"I just... I don't really have a reason to most of the time."

Kindle laughed quietly.

"That's not a good reason. Anyway, I wanted to know if we had anymore of the same classes. It's really hard for me to get used to new people, but you seem... Could I see your schedule?"

Finn's heart was skipping beats as he pulled the crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. He handed it to her, electricity shooting through his body when their hands touched. Kindle looked it over, grinning at what she saw.

"We have next period, lunch, and seventh together."

"That's cool," the boy whispered with a smile.

The two were silent for a few minutes.

"Finn?" the red-headed girl asked. The blond boy turned in her direction.

"Tell me about yourself."

Finn paused. Never, not once in his fifteen years, had he been asked that question by another student. It took him a minute to formulate an answer.

"Uh... I'm Finn Mertens. I live with my mom, dad, older sister, and my dog, Jake. I'm sorry, I don't really know how to answer that." Finn chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"That's okay, I'll tell you about me as an example. My mom died a few years back, so I live with my dad. His work is... frowned upon. My favorite color is red and I love music. Oh, and I have a weird thing for fire— bonfires are my favorite type of get-together. I also have a thing for blonde guys."

Kindle threw Finn a flirty glance, causing the boy to flush red madly. I garbled out an unimpressive "oh," before composing himself.

"Um, I don't have many friends. My favorite color is blue and music is cool too. I love to write and spend time with my dog, Jake— he's pretty much my best friend. I'm not too great with people and I get picked on a lot 'cause I'm weird and awkward, I guess. And I have a thing for girls with unnatural-colored hair."

Finn grinned, proud of himself. Kindle smiled back.

Maybe Finn really could turn his life around this year.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for such short chapter. I promise that future chapters will be longer and a bit more frequent. I know the bullying seems trivial now, but it WILL get worse. And thank all of you for such positive feedback! You guys are great. Keep reviewing.


	3. Chapter 3: Piss Sucks

Chapter 3: Piss Sucks

A/N: I'm really sorry about the last chapter, guys. I forgot to review it and there were a few mistakes, one being Finn's grade. He's a sophomore. I fixed the mistake and apologize for any confusion it may have cause. Enjoy and keeping reviewing— feedback is my fuel.

* * *

Finn sat pathetically in his fourth period, geometry. Math. The boy's worst subject. It had only been four days since the start of the school year and Finn was already lost. There was, however, one good point; he shared the class with Bonnibel Smith, the girl he had crushed on since he was twelve. He had the extreme pleasure of sitting next to her in the back of the room, occasionally stealing glances out of the corner of his eye.

She was so heartbreakingly beautiful. Her skin was flawless white, and was so healthy that it had a pinkish undertone. Her face had sharp features and crystal blue eyes, not unlike Finn. Her hair had been dyed pink and fell to frame her delicate face. She was smart and sweet and so out of reach.

Finn never stood a chance and he knew it. She was popular and he was a nobody. And, give Bonnibel's list of exes, he was exactly her type, either. Still, the boy couldn't help but fawn over the girl.

A dull tug in his lower stomach brought Finn back to reality.

_I gotta pee..._

Finn loosely crossed his legs, not wanting to rudely interrupt the teacher. He tapped his foot as he waited for the woman to finish. Finn was shaking by the time the woman assigned a few problems and sat down at her desk. Finn rose and picked his way down the aisle, leaping over legs outstretched to trip him. Once the boy received permission, he grabbed a hall pass and headed out the door.

Finn walked down the quiet, empty hallway. Just as he was about to turn a corner into the restroom, a hand clamped over his mouth. Finn's eyes widened and he gave a shocked, muffled cry. The hand's owner snicker and pulled Finn into the restroom, Finn struggling all the while. By the farthest wall stood two other guys, who were grinning broadly. Finn recognized them as Donny the Jerk and Big D, which meant Ash was probably the one dragging him.

The suspicion was put to rest when Ash walked out of the last stall in the row. He hadn't flushed.

"Let me go!" Finn cried, muffled by the hand.

"Shut up!" his captor commanded as he shoved him towards Ash, who put him in a headlock.

Finn saw that the guy who had captured him was Trami, Big D's cousin.

"Hey, chump. Miss me over the summer?" Ash growled.

"Let me go!" Finn pleaded again.

"What a little bitch," Donny sneered. "Let's just beat the shit out of him and be done with it."

"Save that shit for after school, moron," Big D said, scowling at Donny.

"Let's finish this quick; the little fuck won't stop squirming," Ash said, tightening his grip.

"Leave me alone, or I swear to god I'll—," Finn was silenced by a rough shake.

"You'll what?" Ash demanded. "You can't do anything, dumbshit."

Finn was dragged by the older guy into the last stall. Ash forced Finn onto his knees, and Finn found himself facing a disgusting, yellow-filled toilet.

"Don't—!"

The rest of Finn's sentence was lost in water as Ash shoved the younger boy's head into the toilet. He was met with resistance and grabbed a fistful of Finn's hair, pulling the boy's head out and dunking it back in, letting his screams be silenced by the filthy water.

Finn's tormentors laughed fiendishly at the poor boy's predicament.

"D, flush it!" Ash breathed between laughs, pushing Finn's head further in the toilet. Big D walked in and slammed his foot on the lever, laughing as Finn's screams grew shriller as the water swirled.

One minute and two flushes later, Ash let go of Finn and he and his group ran out of the bathroom, cackling all the while. Finn pulled his head from toilet, gasping for breath and allowing his silent tears to mix with the tainted water. His face, hair, and the collar of his shirt were soaked.

"Why would—" Finn pulled his knees to his face as the bell began to ring. He sat there for a few minutes before rising shakily and making his way over to the sinks. He washed his face and hair out with hand soap and then rinsed the suds out.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror, saw his damp hair and red-rimmed eyes and was reminded of how he had told himself things would change just a few days earlier. With a frustrated, hurt cry, Finn rammed his fist into the mirror, grimacing as his flesh was torn. He looked at himself through the cracked, bloodied glass and hated what he saw. With an angry sigh, he tenderly washed off his new wound and wrapped it with several layers of paper towels.

_Why did I do that? It's gonna need stitches. _

He reached into his pocket, pulled out his horribly outdated cellphone, and called his mother.

"Mom?"

"Finn? You shouldn't be using your phone during school. You know that."

"Yeah, I know. It's just—," Finn stopped as angry tears began to fall. He sniffed hard.

"Honey? What's wrong?" his mother asked worriedly.

Finn cleared his throat.

"I-I... Something happened. Can you just come pick me up?"

"Of course, sweetie, I'll leave right now. I'll be there in a few minutes."

Finn heard his mother grab her keys.

"Thanks, mom. Bye."

Finn hung up and wiped his eyes. He made his way to the entrance of the bathroom and, before exiting, looked both ways to make sure it was safe. The blonde boy sped to his empty fourth period to grab his backpack, sighing with relief when he saw that his teacher had left the room. He wouldn't be pressed to answer questions just yet.

Finn hurried to one of the back staircases. Suddenly, he heard someone call his name. The boy cringed and tensed up, turning around to see an out of breath Kindle running down the stairs.

_Oh. It's only Kindle_.

"Finn! I've been looking everywhere for you. I didn't see you at lunch, so I—oh my god. What happened?" Kindle was staring, horrified, at Finn's right hand. Blood had began seeping through his makeshift compress, turning it from white to a grotesque red.

"I just hurt my hand," Finn answered, staring down at his shoes. He'd need to clean them sometime soon.

"Can you... elaborate?"

Finn groaned dejectedly and slid down against the wall. Kindle sat down next to him.

"Ash and his group of dicks... they fucking pissed in a toilet and gave me a freaking swirly! I washed it all out and all, but I got so mad. No, not mad; just really, really sad and upset with myself, and a punched a mirror. It's all good though, I think I'll just need a few stitches."

"That's awful," Kindle said as she put a hand on Finn's shoulder. He looked at her, taken aback by the genuine worry shining in her eyes.

"It's all good. I'm pretty used to Ash and his bullshit now, more or less. Piss just really sucks."

Kindle snorted.

"You're weird, Finn."

The friends sat in comfortable silence that was broken by the ringing of Finn's phone. The boy answered.

"Yeah. Okay, mom, I'll be out in a second."

He hung up and turned to Kindle.

"I gotta go. My mom's waiting outside."

"Here, I'll walk you out. No, shut up, Finn. I insist."

They walked down the stairs and out one of the back doors and towards the Merten's navy blue Honda.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow," Kindle said as she pulled Finn into a hug.

Finn, who was pleasantly shocked by the act of affection, let himself melt into the hug. Kindle smelled of cinnamon, a calm and pleasing scent.

"Yep," he answered and broke away from the hug with a smile. He waved goodbye and slipped into the front seat of the car. He buckled up and turned to his mother.

"Friend of yours?" she asked, grinning cheekily.

"Yes, mom," Finn answered, playfully rolling his eyes.

"Very nice. She's cute. And what was so important that I had to leave work to get you? You seem fine. And why's your hair all wet?"

Finn held up his ruined hand and his mother pressed a hand to her mouth to avoid shrieking.

"Finny, what _happened_?" she demanded.

"I-I... I really had to pee so I wasn't watching and slipped on some moron's wet paper. My head went straight into the toilet. I washed it out with soap and stuff, but I was so miffed that I punched a mirror and... yeah. I never even got a chance to pi— I mean, urinate."

The woman gave her son a stern look.

"Let me see it, honey."

Finn unwrapped the toilet paper to reveal the fleshy, bloody, inch-deep gashes on his right knuckles. He laughed at his mother, who went pale and looked as if she was going to vomit.

"It's going to need stitches. You're lucky I'm a nurse; we can head to the hospital and I'll stitch you up there myself. Sound good?"

"Yeah, mom. Thanks."

Mrs. Mertens smiled at her beloved son and began pulling out of the building's drop-off lane. Finn looked back at the hellhole known as high school.

_Three more years_.

Three more long years.

* * *

A/N: Finn's a real man! You may think that he remained too calm, given his deep wounds, but remember that this is Finn. In the show, he always seems to have a ridiculously high level of pain tolerance. It may have been a bit exaggerated, though. Apologies if it is.


End file.
